The dream was always the same.
In the shifting darkness, a figure stood before him—silent, faceless, and familiar in a way that gnawed at the edges of his memory. Cain could never see their face clearly, but something about their presence filled him with a sense of both dread and longing. The cold air around them hummed with whispers, voices he couldn't quite make out, their words slipping away before he could grasp them.
"Who… are you?" he tried to ask, but his voice came out strangled, as if it was getting swallowed in by the void that stretched between them
The figure stepped closer, slow, deliberate, and with every step, Cain's chest tightened. His breath quickened, eyes widening as he felt the weight of something terrible—something forgotten. The figure's hand extended toward him
He reached out, compelled by something deep within him
but the second their hands met, Cain's eyes snapped open
The room was dark as usual, the familiar outlines of the orphanage's cramped walls barely visible. "There it is again." he said to himself "that damn dream is like a curse." as Cain was just about to go back to sleep he heard it—footsteps, distant but loud, "Did Alaric go out?" he wondered.
"I might as well go check it out" He slipped out of bed, his bare feet meeting the cold floor as he crept toward the hallway. Elder Alaric would be checking on everyone, as he always did when he returned. But Cain felt like something wasn't right. Elder Alaric wouldn't leave the orphanage unannounced especially if he was going to leave at night.
As Cain made his way through the long and narrow hallways of the orphanage, the air grew thick with a foul stench. His nose wrinkled at the sickly odor of decay. A cold sweat rolled down his spine. He rounded the corner, eyes adjusting to the shadows just enough to make out a shape at the end of the hall.
His blood ran cold.
There, hunched over one of the small beds, was not Elder Alaric but something else. A grotesque, twisted figure, its back arched unnaturally, its head buried deep into the bed where one of the younger orphans lay. Cain's heart dropped into his stomach. The beast was eating away at their flesh, its teeth tearing through their bones.
Cain's mouth opened to exclaim, but before he could utter a sound, a hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him into the shadows.
It was Anrita. another child who lived at the orphanage
Quiet!" she hissed, her grip tightening on him. Her face, barely visible in the dark, was pale and filled with fear. "Don't let it hear you."
Cains mind began to spin with pure confusion, the image of the beast burning into his mind. His body was trembling with the urge to do something But Anrita held him firmly, her eyes sharp with urgency.
"It's not just one," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of tearing flesh. "We need to leave. Now."
"Stay close," Anrita whispered urgently, her eyes darting around, looking for any signs of movement. "We have to get out of here before more of them come"
The two orphans moved cautiously, their bare feet silent against the wooden floor. "what was that thing?" Cain whispered with fear in his voice "I don't know what that thing is, all I know is that we have to get to safety."
both Anrita and Cain managed to make it downstairs and got a glimpse of the town through a nearby window, a place they once knew, now transformed into a nightmarish landscape—where once-familiar streets were now overrun with grotesque creatures hungry for flesh.
"Do you remember the way to the old church?" Anrita asked, her voice trembling slightly. "If we can reach it, we might find some of the others."
Cain nodded as Elder Alaric reminded them that incase of an emergency were ever to occur inside the orphanage, they should make their way to the old church. They considered the church a safe haven, a place where they could hide, regroup and dream of a better life
Together, they made their way down the dimly lit staircase, careful to avoid the creaking steps that may to betray their presence. With each step, the footsteps of the beast faded into the distance, replaced by the haunting sounds of growls and the screams of people that fell to the hands of those monstrosities
Reaching the front door, Cain hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest. "What if we open it and—"
"Don't think!" Anrita interrupted, her voice sharp. "We have to move. Now!"
With a deep breath, Cain grasped the cold handle and pushed the door open. The night air rushed in, carrying with it the sounds of chaos. The streets were alive with the horrors that had taken over their home.
"Run!" Anrita urged, darting into the street. Cain followed, adrenaline surging through him as they sprinted down the cobblestone path, dodging piles of debris and the remnants of what used to be their town.
Suddenly, a low growl erupted from the darkness, and Cain glanced back to see a monstrous beast—its eyes glinting like shards of glass—emerging from the shadows. Its elongated form moved with a predatory grace, claws scraping against the ground as it zeroed in on them.
"Faster!" Anrita cried, urging Cain forward as they bolted around a corner. The beast lunged but it was shot down by an explosives projectile before it could land its attack on Cain. The creature let out a guttural howl as it was thrown backward, collapsing in a heap, smoke curling from its singed fur. Cain turned to see Elder Alaric, standing firm in the shadows, his metallic arm cannon still smoking from the shot. The Elder's presence was imposing, his weary face illuminated by the flickering light of the street lamps.
"Hurry and make your way over here, NOW!" without a second thought Cain and Anrita dashed towards Elder Alaric following behind him to the Old church across the town that was once tranquil and full of life...